Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada OVER 50 YEARS Of ANNUAL SPRING COUNTS Daily Raptor Counts: May 02, 2026 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 2 Turkey Vulture 2 22 6671 Osprey 1 1 41 Bald Eagle 0 1 79 Northern Harrier 1 2 47 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 7 918 Cooper's Hawk 0 1 127 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 357 Broad-winged Hawk 6 11 2462 Red-tailed Hawk 1 5 507 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 7 Golden Eagle 0 0 7 American Kestrel 1 1 42 Merlin 0 0 6 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 5 Unknown Accipitrine 0 0 12 Unknown Buteo 0 1 28 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 34 Total: 15 52 11353 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Catherine Manschot, John Blanchard Observers: John Blanchard Visitors: We had a wonderful group of children that visited in the morning to learn about raptors. This included Naomi, Henry and his sister Penelope, Evan and his brother Noah, and Jacob. They were very inquisitive and enjoyed seeing the Turkey Vultures and a local Cooper's Hawk fly close by while we went on a hike in the area. Many thanks to John Blanchard for covering me as counter at short notice for the first two hours, so I could run a program for the kids. He also stayed for the rest of the count day to help me with spotting and identifying raptors. Thanks John! Weather: Sun was shining for most of the morning however, the cloud cover suddenly moved to 95% by noon and stayed that way for the afternoon. We also had intermittent rain from a system coming through over the afternoon. There was a light wind coming from the north. Raptor Observations: There were not many migrating raptors, with a total of 15 individuals representing 7 species. Non-raptor Observations: Passerines sightings included plenty of White-throated Sparrows, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, one lingering Slate-coloured Junco, one Western Palm Warbler and a few Myrtle Warblers, Northern Cardinals, corvids and icterids. Notable was a Brown Thrasher that sang many times over the course of the day. Predictions: The winds are coming from the west tomorrow with warmer temperatures in the afternoon, so there might be a better flight. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Catherine Manschot (hitthetrail.manschot@gmail.com ) Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://nphawkwatch.ca/ More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=389 Site Description: Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than five or six observers would be on it. The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. Only the counter and designated spotters can drive into and park in the conservation area; there is a parking lot outside for visitors. The tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the outer edge. This provides lots of room to set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records. Directions to site: To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to the conservation area. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your car. Please note: 1) Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. ©2020 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch. 2) Vehicular traffic into the park is allowed, but visitors are asked to have their cars outside the gate by 3PM. If parking at the gate DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE!!!